International Conference on Innovative Applications of Computational Intelligence on Power, Energy and Controls with their

Impact on Humanity (CIPECH14) 28 & 29 November 2014

Assessment of Process Parameter to Improving power

Plant Performance
Balaram saha1
Department of Electrical
Engineering, Indian school of mines
Dhanbad
balaramsaha@tatapower.com

Vivek patel2
Department of Electrical
Engineering, Indian school of mines
Dhanbad
royal.vivekk@gmail.com

AbstractThis paper proposes an assessment of the

operational parameters of a thermal power plant to promote
effectively & efficient running of the machine while ensuring a
degree of compliance with statutory regulations. This study aims
to identify the operational gaps associated with running
operational parameter in power plant process. It is focused to
detect a different thermodynamic variable involved, being
multivariate and automatic. For variation of each one of this
operational parameters, performance calculations are carried out
to configure a database of energy variation. The variable data
sets now can be used as assessment criteria based on detecting
deviations from a reference system that has been updated during
plant-performance tests. Although the most important outcome is
the highly precise and valuable information that will be obtained
on the live operating mode, leading to ahead improvements in the
cycle efficiency and achieved in the overall control system of the
thermal plant. The main aim is to detect any abnormality,
reacting as quickly as possible to return the plant to a normal
operation mode at best efficient manner.
Keywords: Heat Rate, Steam Temperature, Thermal efficiency

I. INTRODUCTION
Generation of electricity is a very complex process
involving many sub-processes and has multiple critical
parameters. A Higher load factor usually means more output
and a lower cost per unit. So the power plant performance is
very important for having higher PLF. Major concerns for a
stations performance are Thermal efficiency factors,
maintenance loss, plant load factors (PLF), forced outages and
plant availability factor. A fall in thermal efficiency leads to a
higher cost of electricity generation due to more fuel usage
and will also result in much higher Carbon footprints.so, it is
very important to stress on the performance of thermal power
plants. The performance of a thermal power plant can be
expressed through some critical performance factors such as:
Heat rate (energy efficiency)
Thermal efficiency
Capacity factor
Load factor
Economic efficiency
Operational efficiency
So to optimise the performance, losses must be optimised.
Efficient operation of the thermal unit is very critical due to
cost and reliability factors. The cost implication due to a rise in

c
2014
CIPECH14.

Kalyan chaterjee3
Department of Electrical
Engineering, Indian school of mines
Dhanbad
kalyanbit@yahoo.co.in

the heat rate, make-up water consumption, oil consumption,

condensed back pressure, excess air etc., indicate the urgent
need to control these parameters within the designed ratings.
Efficient operation of power plants has always been
important to utilities. The heat rate of a Coal fired power plant
is a measure of how efficiently it converts the chemical energy
contained in the fuel into electrical energy [1]. In each of these
sub-processes, some amount of energy is lost to the
environment. Some of the fuel is not burned perfectly, some of
the energy is lost out through the stack and also rejected to the
cooling tower, some of the kinetic energy and mechanical
energy produce heat instead of electricity, and finally, some of
the electricity that is produced is used by these sub-processes.
The heat rate of a thermal power plant is the amount of
chemical energy in the coal that must be supplied to produce
one unit of electrical energy. Heat rate is expressed in
kcal/kWh. If a power plant is able to convert 100% of the
chemical energy in the fuel into electricity, the thermal plant
would have a heat rate of 860 kcal/kWh. Unfortunately, due to
the losses described above, a modern conventional power plant
might have at best a design full load heat rate of the order of
2200 kcal/kWh, which is about 39% efficient.
Heat rate monitoring is focused on identifying heat rate
gaps and then identifying and implementing corrective actions
to eliminate the efficiency loss. In this approach, heat rate
deviations from expected or design levels are identified and
quantified.
II. HEAT RATE IMPROVEMENT ACTIVITIES:
There are many areas where heat rate improvements are
possible at many plants. Most of these improvements require
little effort and expense. These areas are typical opportunities
for improving efficiency, reducing maintenance, and obtaining
other additional benefits.
Heat Rate of the plant can be improved by improving the
following areas.
Improved Condenser Cleanliness
Arresting Condenser Air In-leakage
Improved Cycle Isolation: Arresting the high temp
steam & water leakages / drains from any system.
Milling System: Maintain Optimum air flow, Mill O/L
temp, fineness etc.

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 Optimised Furnace O2 Operation

Arresting attemperation Valves Passing

Maintain CT High Cold Water Temperature

Instrument Calibration for accurate results & readings.

Installation of Variable Speed Drives for Major

Auxiliaries

Maintains Boiler Cleanliness

Flue Gas Analysis: Maintain High Excess Air in the

prescribe limits.

Reduction of High Exit Gas Temperature

Maintain HP/IP/LP Efficiency at design value.

Maintain HP Heater Performance

The fig:1 shows the basic process of thermal power

plant[3].The utilities worldwide strives to operate their power
stations at best achievable / design efficiency level. It is also

Fig. 1. Thermal Power Plant Cycle

a hard fact that with the passage of time, degradation sets

in various equipment and as a result plants efficiency
deteriorates. We require correct assessment of degradation,
their impact on unit efficiency (and in turn cost) and generation
of appropriate corrective action for restoration of efficiency.
Normally, some key operating parameters and some
performance indices are required to monitor performance. The
process of equipment and system modelling and analysis of the
shortfall in efficiency of individual component and their impact
on the heat rate has become very important in the utilities. Now
in this paper we will discuss about the some key performance
parameter improvement which will affect the Heat Rate
improvement thus reduce the cost. Heat rate monitoring is
focused on identifying heat rate gaps and then identifying and
implementing corrective actions to eliminate the efficiency
loss. In this approach, heat rate deviations from expected or
design levels are identified and quantified.

power station (TPS) is a function of station heat rate and it is

inversely proportional to SHR. Station heat rate improvement
also helps in reducing pollution from thermal power stations.

TABLE I.

Year

ALL INDIA STATION HEAT RATE(SOURCE:CEA)

Design SHR

Operating SHR

%
Deviation

2003-04

2407

2762

15

2004-05

2397

2788

16

2005-06

2398

2747

14.57

2006-07

2398

2861

19.31

2007-08

2377

2703

13.76

2008-09

2348

2618

11.51

Station Heat Rate (SHR) is an important factor to assess the

Efficiency of a thermal power station. Efficiency of thermal

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2014 Innovative Applications of Computational Intelligence on Power, Energy and Controls with their impact on Humanity (CIPECH)

In this way, Performance Evaluation Division of CEA had

devised a Performa to monitor the various parameters of
efficiency of thermal power stations. On monitoring, the data
of station heat rate parameters had been received from 67 TPS
during the year 2008-2009. The data on the operating station
heat rate(SHR) parameters so received have been compiled &
analysed for instituting an incentive scheme on Improved
Station Heat Rate (SHR) and have been compared with design
SHR of the thermal power station. All the stations analysed
have used coal as the primary fuel to generate power and oil as
secondary fuel for starting purposes. The analysis has been
carried out on the station basis. The Station may comprise of
any size of units.

regenerative Rankine cycle where feed water is heated by

extracted steam from the turbine.

III. PROBLEM FORMULATION/DESCRIPTION

A fossil fuelled power station is a collection of
subsystems. Poor performance in one subsystem affects the rest
because of the close interrelationship between them. The knock
on effect of off design performance in one subsystem can
seriously affect the overall plant economics. The costs of the
plant occur as operations and Maintenance (0 & M) expenses,
capital expenses or lost revenue from reduced plant Output.
While 0&M costs are unavoidable and are therefore
budgeted items, poor system performance can quickly consume
a reasonable budget and lead to major over runs. The same is
true of unanticipated capital expenses. Poor combustion results
in unburned fuel and an increased Heat Rate (HR). Thus the
amount of fuel energy (Kcal) required to generate one kilowatt
hour of saleable electrical energy is increased. Such increases
in HR have the immediate effect of raising fuel costs and are
generally indicative of other performance problems.
Normally, some key operating parameters are affecting the
overall performance of Boiler & Turbine, Thus affecting the
Heat Rate. So it is important to operate the unit closer to
design parameter.
Now we will discuss the effect of temperature at different
areas of Steam & Flue gas cycle to improve the plant
performance.
Effect of Main Steam Temperature:
Effect of RH- Temperature.
Effect of RH spray flow:
Feed water Temperature
Flue gas exit temperature.
Generally thermal power plant works on principle of the
Rankine Cycle shown in Fig. 2[5]The cycle consists of four
processes: (1-2) Isentropic compression on pump; (2-3)
Constant pressure heat addition in a boiler; (3-4) Isentropic
expansion in a turbine; (4-1) Constant pressure heat rejection in
a condenser. To improve this cycle some factors
Can be considered like lowering the condenser pressure,
superheating the steam to high temperatures, increasing the
boiler pressure, reheating Rankine cycle or by using

Fig. 2. Rankine cycle (T-S Diagram)

A. Effect of main Steam inlet temperature:

Enthalpy of steam is a function of pressure and
temperature. At lower Temperature, enthalpy will be lower,
than work done by the turbine will be low, so turbine
efficiency will be low, and hence steam consumption for the
required output will be higher.
1) Turbine Efficiency-Calculation

Turbine
Actual Enthalpy drop
Efficiency (%) = --------------------------- X 100
Isentropic Enthalpy drop
=

hin hout
---------------- X 100
hin hisen

Where
hin = Enthalpy of Steam at Cylinder Inlet conditions
hout = Enthalpy Steam at Cylinder Outlet conditions
hisen = Isentropic Enthalpy
Main steam temperature before Emergency Stop Valve - day
average of 24 hrs of all the available temperature points
located before ESV is to be taken for calculation.
This average value of temperature is to be compared with
expected temperature.
(Expected temperature = Design Temperature).
The difference will be taken for Heat rate deviation calculation
based on customized correction curves. [Customized
correction curves are given by OEM to be used].
Sample calculation (Column wise w.r.t Daily HR Deviation
Report)
Design M.S Temperature = 537 0C
Expected M.S Temperature = 537 0C

2014 Innovative Applications of Computational Intelligence on Power, Energy and Controls with their impact on Humanity (CIPECH)

443

Actual M.S Temperature = 529 0C

before Interceptor Valve is taken for calculation. This average

value of temperature is to be compared with expected
temperature.

Variance (Exp. - Act. M.S Temp) = - 8 C

Turbine HR Correction Factor = 0.998 from Curve

(Expected temperature = Design Temperature).

Design Turbine HR = 2000 Kcal/kWh

The difference of temperature will be taken for Heat rate

deviation calculation based on customized correction curves.
[Customized correction curves are given by OEM is used].

Design Boiler = 86.8 %

HR Deviation = (2000/(86.8/100))*(1-0.998)
= 4.6 kcal/kWh

Fig. 4. Correction Curve for RH Temperature

Sample calculation (Column wise w.r.t Daily HR Deviation

Report)
Fig. 3. Correction Curve for MS Temperature

Design HRH Temperature = 538 0C

2) Cause of variation in Main Steam Temperature:

Expected HRH Temperature = 538 0C

Actual Temperature = 530 0C

a) Effect on Enthalpy Drops of Different Stages

Enthalpy drop of each HP stages increase with rise in
MS Temperature

Variance (Exp Act. HRH Temp) = -8.0 0C

Turbine HR Correction Factor = 0.998 from Curve

b) Effect on Losses of Different Stages

Nozzle & Moving Blade Losses increase with
Temperature rise.

Design Turbine HR = 2000 Kcal/kWh

Profile loss &

Temperature rise

HR Deviation = 2000/ (86.8/100)*(1-0.998)

Cumulative

loss

increase

Design Boiler = 86.8 %

with

c) Effect on Efficiencies of Different Stages

HP Stages efficiencies remain almost constant at
different temperatures
d) Effect on Internal Power of Different Stage
Internal power of HP stages increases with increased
temperature
e) Effect on Cycle Efficiency & Heat Rate of Different
Stages
Cycle Efficiency deteriorates and Heat Rate increased
with lower Main Steam Temperature.

= 4.6 kcal/kWh
1) Cause of variation in Re-heat Steam Temperature:
a)

b) Effect on Losses of Different Stages

Nozzle & Moving Blade Losses increase with
Temperature rise
Profile loss &
Temperature rise
c)

B. Hot Reheat Temperature:

Hot Reheat Temperature before Interceptor Valve - Day
average of 24 hrs of all the available temperature points located

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Effect on Enthalpy Drops of Different Stages

Enthalpy drop of each Intermediate and Low Pressure
stages increase with rise in RH Steam Temperature.

Cumulative

loss

increase

with

Effect on Efficiencies of Different Stages

Slight improvement in Stage Internal Efficiencies at
lower Re- Heater steam temperature

d) Effect on Internal Power of Different Stage

2014 Innovative Applications of Computational Intelligence on Power, Energy and Controls with their impact on Humanity (CIPECH)

 Internal power of both IP & LP stages increase with

increase RH steam temperature
e)

Effect on Cycle Efficiency & Heat Rate of Different

Stages
Cycle Efficiency deteriorates and Heat Rate increased
with lower Reheat Steam Temperature.

C. Superheat Attemperation:
Super Heater (S/H) attemperation to the boiler Day
average of 24 hrs is to be taken for calculation. This average
value of S/H attemperation to be compared with expected S/H
attemperation.
The difference of the average value of the day and expected
value of S/H attemperation is to be taken for Heat rate
deviation calculation based on customized correction curves.
Customized/OEM correction curves are to be used.
Sample calculation (Column wise w.r.t Daily HR Deviation
Report)
Design S/H Attemperation = 0 t/hr.

D. Reheat Attemperation:
Re- Heater (RH) attemperation to the boiler day average
of 24 hrs is to be taken for calculation. This average value of
R/H attemperation to be compared with expected R/H
attemperation (Expected R/H attemperation = Value
corresponding to actual load is to be derived using Load vs
reheat attemperation curve). The difference of the average
value of the day and expected value of R/H attemperation is to
be taken for Heat rate deviation calculation based on
customized correction curves.
Customized/OEM correction curves are to be used.
Sample calculation (Column wise w.r.t Daily HR Deviation
Report)
Design R/H Attemperation = 0 t/hr
Expected R/H Attemperation = 6 t/hr
Actual R/H Attemperation = 18 t/hr
Variance (Exp. Act. Attemp) = -12 t/hr
= -2 % of Main Stream Flow

Expected S/H Attemperation = 16 t/hr

Turbine HR Correction Factor = 0.9968 (From Curve)

Actual S/H Attemperation = 46 t/hr

Design Turbine HR = 2000 Kcal/kWh

(Variance Exp. Act. Attemp.) = -30 t/hr

Design Boiler = 86.8 %

= -5 % of Main Stream Flow

Turbine HR Correction Factor = 0.999 from Curve

HR Deviation = 2000/(86.8/100)*(1-0.997)
= 7.4 kcal/kWh

Design Turbine HR = 2000 Kcal/kWh

Design Tested Boiler = 86.8 %
HR Deviation = 2000/ (86.8/100)*(1-0.999)
= 2.3 kcal/kWh

Fig. 6. Correction Curve for Re- Heater Spray flow.

Fig. 5. Correction Curve for Super Heater Spray flow

E. Feed Water Temperature:

The Feed water temperature at top HP Heater outlet after
joining of HP Heater bypass line, based on daily 24 hrs
averages is to be taken for calculation. This average value of
Feed water temperature is to be compared with the expected
value of Feed water temperature (Expected FW temperature =
Feed water temperature corrected for load, derived from curve
between feed water temperature vs load).

2014 Innovative Applications of Computational Intelligence on Power, Energy and Controls with their impact on Humanity (CIPECH)

445

The difference of Average value of Day and Expected

value of Feed water temperature is to be taken for Heat rate
deviation calculation based on customized correction curves.
Customized/OEM correction curves are to be used.
Sample calculation (Column wise w.r.t Daily HR Deviation
Report)
Design Feed Water Temperature = 248 0C
Expected FW Temperature = 236 0C
Actual FW Temperature = 234 0C
Variance (Exp. Act. FW Temp) = 2 0C
Turbine HR Corr. Factor at 236 0C = 0.996 from Curve
Turbine HR Corr. Factor at 234 0C = 0.995 from Curve
Design Turbine HR = 2000 Kcal/kWh
Design Boiler = 86.8 %
HR Deviation = (2000/ (86.8/100))*(0.996-.995)
= 2.3 kcal/kWh
F. APH Exit Temperature:
Its important to ensure that the online measurements of air
and flue gas temperatures are representative of average
temperatures in the duct.
In 500 MW units, the flue gas sampling and temperature
measurement should be done in the common flue gas duct of
Primary and Secondary air heater outlet on each side. At
present the flue gas temperature is monitored only at outlets of
each air heater and an average value of 24 Hrs based on
assumed proportions of flue gas flow through primary and
secondary air heaters, is used for efficiency computation.

IV. CONCLUSION
The performance of a thermal power plant (TPP) will
begin to decline at increase age. A good performance program
will be able to identify these losses of the degradation of the
heat rate. A more accurate knowledge of thermal power plant
heat rates & maintaining all performance parameter near to
design can improve economic dispatching costs and ensure that
profits are maintained on a daily basis. In fact, the performance
parameters measure how well the TPP produces Electricity
efficiently. The improvement should not necessarily to be done
only in thermodynamic Efficiency, but rather to improve TPPs
overall performance. In this paper, we presented an assessment
of the daily performance parameter monitoring to improve the
TPP heat rate. Here in this paper we have calculated how by
improving the temperature of working fluid we can improve
the thermal efficiency of thermodynamic cycle. From table II,
we can see that by improving the Main stream temperature &
Re heater temperature by 10 oC we can reduce the Heat Rate
upto 2 Kcal/Kwh. The objective is to determine the possible
causes generating losses and provoking the degradation of the
TPP heat rate while using a parameter analysis method.
REFFERENCE
[1]
[2]

[3]
[4]

[5]
TABLE II.
S.N

IMPACT OF PERFORMANCE PARAMETER DEVIATION ON HEAT

RATE A TYPICAL LIST
Parameters

Deviation

Average
HR loss
kcal/kWh

Main Steam
Temperature(C)

0.64

Typical
range of HR
Loss
kcal/kWh
0.32-0.77

Reheat
Temperature(C)
Super heater
Spray(Tones /hr)

0.59

0.41-0.86

10

0.28

0.15-0.35

Reheat
Spray(Tones /hr)

10

2.46

1.1-4.19

Exit Gas
Temperature(C)

1.2

0.95-1.91

[6]
[7]
[8]

[9]

[10]
[11]

Note:
So, if we take coal price at Rs-3500 / ton.
Then it comes 1 Kcal = 25 Lakhs.
So if we can save 50 Kcal of any of the unit then it will impact
13 Cr in a year. This will reduce the cost of generation.

446

[12]

[13]

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2014 Innovative Applications of Computational Intelligence on Power, Energy and Controls with their impact on Humanity (CIPECH)